Faa's Andrews Is Center Of Attention

PREP FOOTBALL '89 BREVARD COUNTY

September 1, 1989|By Tim Hipps of The Sentinel Staff

MELBOURNE — Phillip Andrews always played with older kids while growing up in Ladson, S.C. It helped him to mature quickly. And at age 15, he left his family and friends to concentrate on playing football.

Florida Air Academy was the beneficiary. Falcons Coach Red Sale plans to build his team this season around Andrews, a 5-foot-10, 196-pound junior.

''He's our center and the best athlete on the team,'' Sale said. ''He definitely anchors our line. And he's not only a good athlete but a fine young man - extremely mature for a junior.

''He's got a good knowledge of football and he executes his blocks very well. He's one of the first players on the practice field and one of last to leave - a real team leader.

''If you don't have a good offensive center, you're not going to do anything offensively. Phillip very possibly could be All-County. He could play for any school around here. And there's an awful lot of good centers around.''

That's heavy praise for an offensive lineman, a down-in-the-trenches position that rarely receives preseason rave reviews.

But Andrews has been doing anything but getting heavy in the offseason. His spring training weight is down from 225 pounds and his bench press is on the rise. His quickness, too, is much improved.

''Just a lot of running and hard work,'' said Andrews, who was given an honorable mention on the All-Space Coast team last year. ''I knew it was going to be hard this year, so I've been jogging 2 miles a day, running and doing a lot of swimming.''

Does Andrews feel any pressure?

''Most definitely,'' he said. ''I'm the only returning lineman, but I kind of like the fact that everybody is looking up to me. I think it's long overdue. I've been playing offensive line since the seventh grade and it's not an easy place to get noticed.''